Top Flite Elder 40 - Manual (Page 7)

10. Use your sanding block and medium sandpaper to
now go over the frame. Make sure the edges are all
square and clean.
11. Locate and assemble, if needed, the fuel tank that
you plan to use. This airplane can use either 8,10 or
12 oz. fuel tanks. (We show the Du-Bro 12 oz. fuel tank
mounted upright in the nose.) Fit your tank into the
nose-of the fuselage frame. Use short (3") lengths of
scrap balsa stock to make "support" for it. With the
fuselage open at this time, it's easy to see if the tank
will sit level—adjust as needed. In this way, when
the fuselage is done, your tank can be inserted from
the wing opening into the nose and removed, if need-
ed, with assurance that it is mounted correctly. Now
use a 3/16" drill bit to drill the two required holes for
the fuel tank (one for fuel feed and filling and the
other for the pressure tap and overflow). Remove the
tank.
12. Drill and tap the holes necessary in the motor mount
to attach your engine (we like to use 4-40 Allen-head
bolts for this purpose). Attach the motor mount to
the firewall and the engine to the mount. By viewing
from the front, determine the location of the throttle
tube housing exit hole. This should be lined-up with
the carb's throttle arm. Drill a 3/16" dia. hole through
the firewall f o r this tube. Rough-up the outer surface
of the outer throttle tube housing and glue it in place
in the firewall—about 3/16" of it should protrude out
from the face of the firewall, the rest of it runs into
the radio compartment. Be sure your tank still fits
nicely.
13. The servos shown on the plans are of average con-
figuration; however, yours may be different (taller,
wider, etc.). The Elder will accept almost any radio
system. Lay the fuselage frame over the side view of
the plans and lay one of the servos in place.
Remember that these servos will be mounted on the
1/8" ply servo tray. Observe if your servos will fit. Cut,
notch, fit and glue the 1/4" x 1/2" balsa servo tray
bearers in place between the two uprights in the
radio (servo) compartment. Their outer edges should
be flush with the rest of the fuselage frame.
14. You can now sheet the bottom of the fuselage from
the nose (between the two landing gear formers)
back to the 2nd bottom 1/4" x 1/4" cross brace—don't
sheet any further back. Note this sheet is applied
cross grain. Use your sanding block to sand the
edges flush with the frame sides. Sand the landing
gear mounts and sheeting to a smooth curve when
viewed from the side.
15. Use the 1/8" x 6" x 21" balsa to now make the primary
fuselage sides. Lay the fuselage frame on the sheet
with the forward edge of it lined up with the vertical
line at Section B-B. Use a pencil to trace the fuselage
side outline onto the sheeting. Cut out the fuselage
side and glue it in place, repeating the process for
the other side. Use your sanding block to again true-
up edges and generally tidy the fuselage.
16. Stand the fuselage on its nose, firewall flat to the
work surface. Locate and glue in place the two side
F-4 formers to the firewall sides and flush with its
front face.
17. Locate and glue half-formers F-6 and F-7 together
(note that the bottoms of these formers are flush
with one another thus providing a 1/8" shelf around
the outside for the nose sheeting). Now accurately
glue the F-6/7 former in place across the fuselage at
Section B-B.
18. Locate and accurately pin in place the wing center
section to the top of the fuselage—take your time
and locate it as accurately as possible. Use a 1/4"
dia. bit to drill through F-6/7, the leading edge and
dihedral brace of the center section (backing up the
dihedral brace with a piece of scrap wood avoids
splintering as the drill bit pass through). Remove the
center section and set aside for now. Once again,
stand the fuselage on its nose, flat on the work sur-
face a n d glue the top F-3 former in place on top of the
firewall and flush with its front face.
19. Measure, cut and glue in place the top 1/4 " sq. balsa
cowl longeron, which fits from the notch in F-6,
through F-3 and out to the F-2 location. Cut, fit and
glue the two side1/4" sq. balsa cowl longerons which
fit in the notches provided in the F-4's. Temporarily
install cowl former F-2 in place on the three ends of
the cowl longerons. Observe how this former is sit-
ting in place. Viewed from the side and top, it should
be parallel with the firewall. Use a ruler to be sure
and trim the ends of the longerons to achieve this
goal. Once satisfied, glue F-2 in place to the ends of
these longerons. Now cut, fit and glue the 1/4" sq.
balsa sheeting support pieces (2) that fit from the rear
face of the F-4 back to the uprights at Section B-B.
Note these are angled and must be beveled to fit.
Now glue the forward cowl former F-1 in place to F-2,
leaving a 1 / 8 " shelf" around its perimeter for the
cowl sheet. Lastly, glue the two required lengths of
1/4" sq. balsa in place from the bottom, outside cor-
ners of F-1 down to the bottom, outside corners of
the F-4's. Bevel the ends of these to fit correctly.
20. The sheeting sequence diagram illustrates exactly
how and in what sequence the nose and cowl is
covered. Wetting the 1/8" balsa sheeting helps it to
conform to the required curves. Take your time to
achieve an accurate, gap-free fit before glueing
these pieces in place. C A adhesives work very well in
this area, eliminating the need for pins. If you have
taken your time and fitted these pieces in place with
a minimum of gaps, all that remains is sanding to
shape.
21. Use a sanding block to bevel the inside ends of the
spruce fuselage framework at the tailpost—see
plans. Once satisfied, glue these ends accurately
together providing equal bends to each side of the
fuselage when viewed from the top. Accurately cut
six (6) pairs of top and bottom 1/4 " sq. spruce cross-
braces which will fit from Section C-C back to the
tailpost. We suggest cutting the top and bottom
braces at the same time to ensure equal length. Glue
these in place, working from the front to the back.
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